IWRM as a basis for River Basin Organisation Management, Bangkok, AguaJaring.

Announcement

Training of Trainers Course

IWRM as a basis for River Basin Organisations (RBO) Management

“Improve efficiency and effectiveness for Water Security”

July 27-31, 2009, Bangkok, Thailand

Background:

Sustainable management of water resources is an important goal being adopted at national and international level in a bid to address water shortages, inequity, pollution and many other water problems. One of the key changes being adopted follows from the recognition that upstream/ downstream effects require management using a basin approach. As a result many countries are introducing new institutional arrangements for water resources management, including organizations to manage water resources at the basin level – (RBOs).

Creating new structures, or changing old ones, to meet the goals of integrated water resources management is not easy and there is evidence that the introduction of new river basin organizations does not run smoothly in many countries. In addition there is widespread uncertainty about what it means to implement the IWRM approach to water resources management on the ground.

Following from a series of case studies on River Basin Organisations, Cap-Net has developed a foundation training programme for the management of water resources. The approach has been to focus on the key functions essential for sustainable management of water resources and they represent the core responsibilities of a water management agency. Organisations tasked to carry out these functions at the river basin level may or may not be called RBOs.  This foundation training programme forms the basis of the proposed training program

Objective:

The purpose of this training program is to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the application of integrated water resources management (IWRM) for sustainable management and development of water resources, leading to water security.

Target group

The training is particularly targeted at the staff of river basin organisations (RBOs) within the region. Participants should be experience managers and/or trainers (with experiences and/or responsibility in training and/or RBO management) an is expected to take this training forward at the local or regional level and/or to use the knowledge in management of their respective RBO. The expected number of participants is 30, respecting gender and geographic balance.

Methods

The workshop will use adult learning tools, focusing on participants sharing their own experiences, and guided by the introduction of new conceptual approaches and tools. There will be a combination of short lectures, practical exercises, group work and discussion. The course will be supported by training materials developed by Cap-Net (www.cap-net.org). Contents will also be generated by other partners and course participants. Participants are encouraged (and expected) to bring in experiences with the application of water resources management for adaptation to climate variability. Modules will be supported by specific cases to be brought in by the capacity building networks. Each participant will be given the materials used in the training and pack containing useful resources introduced during the course.

Organisation

This training of trainers’ course is a programme of AguaJaring, Southeast Asia and will be hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE)’s Department of Water Resources (DWR), Thailand, with the support of UNESCAP Bangkok and CapNET. The course is part of Cap-Net global programme of action, of which AguaJaring is an affiliated regional network.

The duration of the course will be five days and it will take place from 8-12  June, 2009 in Bangkok, Thailand.

For further information please contact:

MONRE’s DWR Thailand: Ms. Sukontha Aekaraj (sukontha.a@dwr.mail.go.th),

                                           Tel:+662 271 6000 ext. 6605

                Ms. Parichart Katavetin (parichart_tae@hotmail.com)

                Tel: +662 271 6000 ext. 6602

                                           Ms. Kanokwan Yoowong  (oddka23@hotmail.com)

                                           Tel: +662 271 6000 ext. 6602

ESCAP:                             Ms. Nawaporn Wanichkorn ( wanichkorn@un.org)

                                           Tel: +662 288 2174

AguaJaring:                        Ms. Zalilah Selamat (zalilah@nahrim.gov.my)

                                          Tel: +603-8948 3033